The present invention relates to a method for displaying the state of a battery in a remote control device, such that when the battery power is reduced to below a predetermined voltage level, this condition is detected and displayed in the electronic apparatus, which is controlled by the remote controller.
Remote controllers are widely used on home appliances, and most of the remote controllers are equipped with batteries. If a remote controller is used for a long time, the power of the battery will become exhausted, such that the remote controller cannot function in the normal manner.
Because of such circumstances, conventionally a remote controller is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a light emitting diode (LED) to display the state of the battery. However, the user does not always watch the remote controller display and therefore will not always see the indication of reduced or exhausted battery power.
As a result of the state of the battery being displayed in a position often not noticed by the user, the user's first response to exhausted battery conditions is to assume that the electronic appliance is not working properly due to some malfunction, and the user will often contact a repair person to service the electronic appliance. Alternatively, the user may complain to the manufacturer of the electronic apparatus.
Another problem with the conventional remote control display of battery power is that the remote controller has to include a display, which increases the manufacturing cost of the device.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei-5-168068 (laid open on Jul. 2, 1993), entitled "Electronic Apparatus Provided with a Power Source State Checking Function", discloses an electronic apparatus, in which all the functions are controlled by a remote controller, and the state of a portable power source of the apparatus can be displayed on the remote controller, if the remote controller requests so. The main body of the apparatus, i.e. the controlled electronic apparatus, and the remote controller are capable of mutual transmission and reception of signals. If there is a request for a battery check from the remote controller to the main body, the main body detects the state of its battery and transmits a signal to the remote controller to indicate to the remote controller the state of the main body battery. The remote controller displays the received battery state data on the remote controller itself. However, this feature does not solve the above problem of the display and recognition of the battery power of the remote controller, itself.